Bike: Baulne to Paris, 31 miles, 1100 feet of climb
Accommodation: Cozy 27m2 studio in the Marais (Airbnb); host Frederic. Studio in the Third Arrondissement with wifi and washer.
We were surprised to find a small chateau not too far north of Baulne. A sign outside the gate labeled it as a national monument. The gate was open, so we rode in for a peek at the courtyard. We didn't see a ticket booth or any signage inside the gate, so we guessed it must be a private residence, and we moved ourselves along.
The entire day was spent on dedicated cycle paths, mostly at the side of busy highways and roads. Knowing we would be entering through the southern suburbs of Paris, we expected that the ride would not be very scenic or relaxing. But for the first 10 miles or so, we enjoyed rolling through lovely small villages with beautiful old stone buildings.
Eventually, we hit the real edges of the city, and were routing through industrial and commercial areas, then on les quais (the wharves) along the Seine.
The ride through Paris went really well. Our shoulders and necks were sore from the tension of being ultra-alert through city traffic and jumping on and off curbs to stay in bike lanes, but we arrived at our apartment with no trouble, checked in, and followed our normal routine: showers, groceries, dinner, news, bed.
Our apartment is a small studio, very nicely organized and comfortable and clean. We are right in the middle of the Third Arrondissement, in a busy area but with mostly pedestrian traffic and lots of shops. I like it.
